, 1887-09-27
THE ENCAM MENT.
The Old Veterans Arriving in
st. Louis.
Pathetic Meetings After Years
Of Separation.
The Grand Parade May Have
To Be Postponed.

ST.. LOUIS, Sept. ga national
salute from Camp Washington heralded
the dawning of the day this morning
for the veterans of the Grand Army. and
aroused the visitors and the committees
whose duties called them to the early
trains. The thin mist hanging over the
city began increasing and developed into
a steady disagreeable rain. However, thi.
West and South poured in its great
crowds as steadily as the rain dripped
through the clouds. By noon the rail-
road had brought in 10000 citizens, SOL
dIers, and many more of their house
holds. AT the depots and the camps all
seemed in confusion. but order generally
assumed command, and the search for old
regiments and old friends at once began.
The feature of this encanpment is the
sheltering flarge numbers of old veterans
in tents. Tried at each encampmeut be
fore in small numbers, the plan gave such
satisfaction and pleasure that it was de
cided thus to house the vast numbers and
the executive committees have arranged 10
care tor a greater %concourse of people On
the field than has ever before been at
tempted On land except in times of war.
Perhaps no canvas city Of such proper
tions has ever been built in so short a
time. Within two months $500 tents,
with ample room for 5000 soldiers. more
than there is in the entire United States
army, have been put together and are
now pitched IN ten beautiful parks of the
city, all within a radius of two miles.
The headquarters are connected by tele-
graph and convenient dining halls. A
bale of straw makes a mattress for each
tent. His bed the soldier brings strapped
on his napsack or grips.
For several days the deserted walks and
white coverings were more like a city of
the dead, but tonight an army OF jOvial
and tried spirits crowd the way. In many
cases the veterans will stop in camp and
house his family near by. A peep within
the tents this evening reveals a touching
scene The warrior citizens only know
the feelings of such glorious ~reLliuis
cences. Ever and anon the surging
crowds upon the streets pause to hear the
bugle call, and then a stentorian voice
calling out the nam of the company.
regiment and state. and sometimes a call
for a comrade not seen for years. Too
often there Is no response, but then an
answer, silence as they meet, and then a
jubilee. These camps are full of pathetic
meetings after years of separation, and it
i, this that draws thousands of the boys
in blue together. The great amp is a
success, and will become part of the G..
A. R. encampment of the future.
Frank P. Blair. besides the usual re
ception to the visitors, today marched to
the widow OF Gen. f. P. Blair and pre-
scented her with a medal recently adopted
by the post, bearing as a medallion the
head of her late husband. Mrs. Blair
presented to the post a flag of the army
corps commanded by Gen. Blair during
the latter part of the war.
All the afternoon and evening the ar
rivals of veterans and their families in
squads, groups, posts and divisions, by
regular and excursion trains and by steam
boats have been incessant. All attempts
to keep a record or make an estimate OF
their numbers have failed, though those
in charge are satisfied that very many
more than were counted on have come.
Every department reports more men,
either here or coming, than was first an
nounced, and it is safe to say that the
grand parade will be unprecedentedly
large and imposing.
This evening the visitors were enter
tanned at the various headquarters, their
halls, beautifully decorated, have been
thrown open all day. and many comrades
have accepted their hospitality. Lyon,
Hassendeubel and Harding posts also
kept open house to all visitors.
Owing to the inclemency Of the
weather, the committee doubt the expedi-
ency of a parade to morrow, and this
evening it was agreed, in case of light
rain or drizzle, the parade should take
place, as on the programme, but, in case
it was impossible to form, or the ranks
were broken by heavy rains, the parade
would be postponed until Wednesday un
til 10 o'clock. In the event of a post.
ponement, the annual encampment session
proper will not begin until $3.50 Wednes
day afternoon.
Gen. Lucius Fairchild, Adit. Gen.
Gray and others of the staff arrived this
evening. He was met at the depot by
Gen. Grier and mounted staff and escort
ed to his quarters at the Southern hotel
Hon. Hannibal Hamlin came with the
commander-in-chiet's party Mrs. E.
D'Arc Kline, national president of the
Womcn's Relief corps, arrived from San
Francisco this afternoon.